Corporate News
Kenya Airways will continue flying to and from Liberia and other west
Africa destinations despite the outbreak of a deadly Ebola epidemic in
the region. FILE PHOTO
By Emmanuel Onyango Oduor
In Summary
- The epidemic has claimed 932 lives and infected more than 1,700 people across west Africa.
- Liberia and Sierra Leone have already declared states of emergency.
- KQ says withdrawing flights given safeguards would be corporate placement of unnecessary travel advisory.
Kenya Airways
will continue flying to and from Liberia, Ghana, Nigeria and other west
Africa destinations despite the outbreak of a deadly Ebola epidemic in
the region.
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The national carrier cited assessments by World Health
Organisation (WHO) and The International Air Transport Association
(IATA) that downplayed the possible spread of Ebola virus through air
travel.
The announcement came as the World Health
Organisation announced it expected the epidemic to continue for "months"
and get worse.
"Arising from the unfortunate Ebola outbreak in
parts of West Africa, we wish to provide the following detailed update
while confirming that, Kenya Airways is still flying to and from several
destinations in that region," a statement from outgoing chief executive
Titus Naikuni said.
"According to information availed to us from IATA
and collaborated by local experts, the WHO, current risk assessment for
the spread of Ebola by air travel and transport is minimal and hence not
recommending any travel restrictions or the closure of borders at
points of entry," the statement added.
"Withdrawing our flights to these key destinations
given the safeguards already placed by the respective governments’ and
global health authorities would amount to a corporate placement of
unnecessary travel advisory."
Since breaking out earlier this year, the epidemic
has claimed 932 lives and infected more than 1,700 people across west
Africa, according to the World Health Organisation.
Liberia and Sierra Leone have already declared states of emergency.
Liberia President Ellen Johnson Sirleaf declared a
state of emergency of at least 90 days on Wednesday, saying
extraordinary measures were needed “for the very survival of our state”.
In Sierra Leone, which has the most confirmed
infections, 800 troops including 50 military nurses were sent to guard
hospitals and clinics treating Ebola patients, an army spokesman said.
British Airways announced Tuesday that it has
cancelled flights to Liberia and Sierra Leone until the end of August.
The airline normally has four flights a week from London Heathrow to
Freetown in Sierra Leone, with a connection to Monrovia in Liberia.
Precautionary measures
Fears are growing that the disease could also take
hold in Nigeria after the death of a nurse in Lagos, a megacity of more
than 20 million.
According to Mr Naikuni, Kenya Airways will
continue to maintain precautionary measures including educating all
staff on Ebola, how it is transmitted and how to keep safe.
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